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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29924505">Let Me Have Your Back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ink_writes16/pseuds/ink_writes16'>ink_writes16</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, M/M, Mostly Eddie being concerned about Buck, Post Lawsuit, and Buck being afraid to ask for help, like just after it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:28:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,045</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29924505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ink_writes16/pseuds/ink_writes16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Do you notice him acting weird too?” Eddie asked Chimney, vaguely gesturing toward Buck, who was securing his harness. </p>
<p>Chimney looked between the two. “It’s Buck, when is he not acting weird?”</p>
<p>Eddie made a face. “But this is different. He won’t talk to me, he’s been pretty quiet all day-“</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Tales</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Let Me Have Your Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I saw this on Tumblr I think on a prompt blog so</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>Buck hated hotels more than anything. He had spent his fair share in them before he came to the 118 and they never felt right. They left him feeling sore when he woke up and living out of a suitcase was… less than ideal. To him, staying in a hotel meant transition and instability. But it was better than the alternative. He didn’t think the back seat of the Jeep was all that comfortable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck pulled up to the firehouse nearly 45 minutes late. He met Bobby’s gaze as he came in. “Cap, I’m so sorry. I underestimated LA traffic.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve been living at that apartment for how long?” Bobby teased. Buck just smiled and shrugged because Bobby didn’t know. “Go get ready.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck nodded and went to the locker room, dropping his stuff on the floor before opening his locker.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Buck,” Eddie said, smiling at him. “You still up for watching Chris for me tomorrow?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course I am.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You mind if I drop him off at your place?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck froze. He was silently thankful for the locker that was hiding him from his best friend. He didn’t want to tell anyone about his current… <em>situation. </em>Especially not Eddie, not after what he’d said that day in the market. They had <em>just</em> gotten back to normal and there was no need for Eddie to feel like Buck was the one pushing him away this time. He knew that Eddie would immediately try to get him out of the hotel, he would offer up his couch, out of obligation or otherwise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Buck?”</p>
<p><br/>
“Uh, sorry,” he muttered closing the door. Eddie was looking at him with his brows furrowed. “It’ll be better if I can pick him up, actually. If that’s okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, sure,” Eddie frowned. “Is everything alright?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck started to say something but the bell went off and he let out a small sigh of relief. He grabbed his gear and climbed into the truck, ignoring the way that Eddie was eyeing him cautiously.</p><hr/>
<p>“Do you notice him acting weird too?” Eddie asked Chimney, vaguely gesturing toward Buck, who was securing his harness.</p>
<p><br/>
Chimney looked between the two. “It’s Buck, when is he not acting weird?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eddie made a face. “But this is different. He won’t talk to me, he’s been pretty quiet all day-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A blessing, really,” Chimney joked. Eddie rolled his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
“You are no help.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The paramedic laughed. “Yeah, well, he’s probably fine. Maddie would have told me to keep an eye on him if something was wrong.”</p>
<p><br/>
Eddie nodded, still not convinced. He adjusted his harness and met Buck on the edge of the cliff. “You ready?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck grinned at him, which might have made his heart skip a beat, if he hadn’t noticed the tension in the smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Always.”</p><hr/>
<p>Buck was sitting at the counter, sighing defeatedly at his phone.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>“Something wrong, Buck?” Bobby asked from across the counter as he tossed some spices into a pot.</p>
<p><br/>
Eddie glanced up from the book he was reading on the couch. But Buck shook his head.</p>
<p><br/>
“Just traffic. It makes commuting impossible.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s LA for you,” Bobby said with a smile. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, well, I’m going to have to drive an extra forty minutes out of my way to avoid it,” Buck muttered.</p>
<p><br/>
Eddie frowned. “You going somewhere?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck looked back at him but wouldn’t meet his eyes. “No, just my apartment. But I don’t exactly want to drive an hour and a half to get home after the shift.”</p>
<p><br/>
Eddie made a face. “You’re apartment’s, like, twenty minutes away. Thirty on a bad day.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He turned away with a shrug. “Guess today’s just a <em>really</em> bad day,” he said quietly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eddie shared a look with his captain and stood, moving to lean against the table next to his friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s going on?” Bobby asked, putting the spoon down and looking at the blond expectantly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck studied the two of them for a moment. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve been quiet, you’re freezing up for no reason, you’re going really out of your way to go home-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck took a breath at that and shifted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is something wrong with your apartment?” Eddie tested. Buck looked up at him hesitantly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, they had to shut off the water, something with the pipes.” Eddie raised an eyebrow, prompting him to say more. “I’ve…I’ve been staying at a hotel for the last week.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was Bobby’s turn to make a face. “Why didn’t you say something? You know that any one of us would let you stay at our houses.”</p>
<p><br/>
“Yeah, I know,” Buck shrugged. “That’s why I didn’t say anything.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Eddie asked crossing his arms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck looked down at the blank phone in his hands. “I just… I didn’t want to be… exhausting.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Every muscle in Eddie’s body tensed and his stomach dropped, feeling Bobby’s eyes on him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Buck…”</p>
<p><br/>
“It’s fine, Eds.”</p>
<p><br/>
“It’s not,” he pressed. “You’re <em>not</em> exhausting.” Buck gave him a look, one that said he was entirely unconvinced. “You aren’t. When I said that, I was angry and too stressed and a million other things.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck sighed. “I know that I get really annoying-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is ridiculous,” Bobby interrupted. “You’re staying at my place tonight. Athena’s cooking.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bobby, I don’t want to be in the way. With you and the kids...”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fine, then stay with me,” Eddie shrugged. They both looked at him. “What? There are fewer people at my house and Chris definitely won’t mind having his Buck there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck smiled at that. “Are you sure?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s my place or Bobby’s,” Eddie said. “There’s no need for you to be staying at a hotel.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, Eddie, it’s-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You told me I could have your back.” Buck straightened a little. “So let me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buck swallowed and conceded with a nod. “Okay...alright, fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The other two shared a look, each knowing full well that it meant Buck was staying at Eddie’s. The alarm sounded and Bobby smiled at them for a moment before heading down the stairs. Eddie started to follow but Buck grabbed his arm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you,” he said, quietly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He shrugged. “Anytime, Buckley.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A bright smile spread over Buck’s features again. And this time, Eddie just smiled at the butterflies in his stomach.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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